Abstract:

This study intended to explore possible gender-based patterns of teacher-pupil interactions in the mathematics classrooms in the context of junior secondary schools in Mozambique. To gather data, an attitude scale and a classroom observation schedule were developed and used and, it was carried out in a natural school environment and followed a quantitative research design methodology and involved junior secondary school pupils and their mathematics teachers. The general result shows gender-based differences in attitudes towards mathematics and in the patterns of teacher-pupils interactions, with boys demonstrating more positive attitude and interacting more with their mathematics teacher than girls. Although mathematics is an interesting and valuable subject, considering that a strong mathematical background is a prerequisite for many career and job opportunities in this technological world of today, it is in this field that lower female participation is seen. And, in Mozambican education context, mathematics is commonly viewed as a subject that filters women out of opportunities in later life

Keywords:

Mathematics, gender, interactions, differences.